Jimmy finishes as top test bowler!

England's James Anderson celebrates the wicket of Usman Khawaja during day four of the Ashes Test match at the Melbourne Circket Ground, Melbourne. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Friday December 29, 2017. See PA story CRICKET Australia. Photo credit should read: Jason O'Brien/PA Wire RESTRICTIONS: Editorial use only. No commercial use without prior written consent of the ECB. Still image use only. No moving images to emulate broadcast. No removing or obscuring of sponsor logos.

Published:08:00Friday 05 January 2018

James Anderson finished the year top of the ICC Test bowling rankings.

And he is closing in on Glenn McGrath’s title as Test cricket’s most prolific seamer.

The “Burnley Express” has been England’s best bowler as they have lost the Ashes down under, again more than holding his own.

The 35-year-old overtook Courtney Walsh on the all-time Test wicket list during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, and now has only Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and McGrath ahead of him, with 522 to his name ahead of the final Test.

McGrath took 563 Test wickets in a 14-year career, but Anderson claimed 55 at an average of 17.58 in 2017, and there is plenty of life in him yet.

He topped the ICC World Test rankings with a rating of 892, ahead of Kagiso Rabada of South Africa (883) and Ravindra Jadeja of India (870).